The national unity was practically demonstrated by the ruling and opposition parties at the Independence Day national flag-hoisting ceremony at Convention Centre here on Wednesday.
On the invitation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, opposition leaders in National Assembly and Senate Syed Khursheed Shah and Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan attended the main function of Independence Day indicating the PPP was willing to go an extra mile to keep cordial relations with the government, particularly on the issues of national importance.
During its tenure, the PPP government extended invitation to Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan as opposition leader but he did not attend the government-organised functions.
The government also extended due protocol to Syed Khursheed Shah as he was given seat next to the UN secretary general on the right side and on the left side seats were given to Chairman Senate Syed Nayyar Hussain Bokhari and leader of the house in Senate Raja Mohammad Zafarul Haq. Next to Khursheed Shah were sitting Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan and his wife Bushra Aitzaz.
On a query by a journalist, Khursheed Shah said there could be differences with the government but attending national functions was their duty. Though, he said, the opposition did not attend such functions in the past despite their invitations.
